


Alpha!Bill

by newnumbertwo



Category: Battlestar Galactica, Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-03
Updated: 2012-10-10
Packaged: 2017-11-14 20:37:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newnumbertwo/pseuds/newnumbertwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Laura has thinky thoughts during her first week of her Presidency.  She's becoming cognizant of her empathic bond with Bill.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. First Impressions

Title:  First Impressions  
Word count:  100  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer:  I don't own them; they own me.  
A/N:  Alpha werewolf Bill Adama has finally met his true mate.  That was the easy part.  The following is a "conversation" between Bill and his inner-wolf, which is basically the source of his instinct. 

  


_Her_.

“Her?”

_Yes.  Want her._

“The Secretary of Education?”

_She’s ours, Bill._

“Our mate?”

_Yes._

“Figures, we would agree on everything except women.”

_In this case, my taste is much better.  Your so-called mate was a disaster._

“And you think Dr. Roslin would be any better?”

_I know she will._

“She thinks she knows everything, she’s stuck-up, doesn’t respect me or my ship.”

_She’s beautiful, sexy, intelligent, knows her own mind, and isn’t afraid of you._

“You may have a point there.”

_Pursue her on Caprica.  You’re the Alpha; she’ll want you._

“I smell Adar all over her.”

  



	2.  A Brief History of Bill Adama

Title:  A Brief History of Bill Adama  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer:  I don't own them; they own me.  
A/N:  This follows the drabble ["First Impressions"](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/10227.html#cutid1)  As the title says, there is a brief history of Bill Adama.  Also Bill reflects on his potential future with his mate.

  


Bill walked a little taller for the rest of the day.  For the first time in his very long career, he was happy to be leaving the military.  He’d found his true mate, and he knew from their heated discussion over networking the computers that she’d be difficult to pursue.  But once he claimed her, it would all be worth it.  They’d be mated, their lives inextricably linked.  Having a human mate wasn’t unheard of, but it wasn’t typical of his kind.  But then, Bill was never typical.  

His father had left the safety and security of the clans to move to Caprica City with his family.  His father’s first wife was his mate, so when she  and their daughter Tamara were killed in a terrorist bombing, his father shouldn’t have been able to live long himself.  The males of their species can’t live without their mates.  Instead, he got remarried to his law partner, Evelyn, and they conceived William, who was named after his dead half brother.  In many ways, Evelyn was a better mate, than Shannon.  The two of them lived happily for the rest of their lives.  

Bill distanced himself even further from his kind when he decided to join the Colonial Fleet.  Unlike the rest of his species, Bill didn’t mind the enclosed spaces of a ship.  As long as he got to be in the stars, Bill was happiest on a ship or in a cockpit.  Luckily for him, his inner-wolf shared Bill’s love for space and flying, so they were never in conflict, except when it came to Carolanne.

Bill knew the blonde wasn’t his true mate.  His inner-wolf had made that quite clear.  But he loved her--not the all encompassing love he’d have for his true mate--but he cared for her, and she loved him.  Carolanne was human and she insisted on a traditional human wedding thrown by her family.  Her family was powerful and instrumental in getting Bill back in the fleet.  His bride was drawn to him because he was strong and proud, the alpha of his species.  But he never claimed her, not completely.  He couldn’t bring himself to risk her life by linking it with his:  Regardless of his strength and ability, it would be easy for him to be killed in space, which would end her life, orphaning their children.

Because Bill never claimed his bride, his inner-wolf was willing to keep mum for the most part.  However, he was concerned Bill would find his true mate while married to Carolanne.  That was a scenario that was certain to end in disaster.  He needn’t have worried though.  The marriage didn’t last long, leaving Bill free to continue working with the fleet, and his inner-wolf free to troll for their mate.

They had finally found their mate.  And she was everything they’d hope she’d be.  But that prick Adar had placed his hands all over her.  That was unacceptable.  When Bill returned to Caprica after his ship was fully decommissioned and his retirement official, he’d go to any lengths to make Laura Roslin his.  He wasn’t above kidnapping, either.  It wasn’t unheard of for wolves to kidnap their human mates, and he knew his former clan would welcome him with open arms.  He was after all their alpha.  

But he could worry about all that later.  It was time for Bill to prepare his speech.  He was hoping to use it as a means of reaching out to his only living son and impressing his mate.

  



	3.  Chapter 3:  Laura's Fuming Musings

Title:  Chapter 3:  Laura's Fuming Musings  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer:  I don't own them; they own me.  
A/N:  As the rhyming chapter title suggests, Laura offers her perspective of things.

  


Laura Roslin had never met a more infuriating man.  He was disrespectful of her position, rude, and completely unreasonable.  In his mind, apparently the position of Secretary of Education doesn’t command much respect.  Bill Adama may command thousands of servicemen and women on his ship, but Laura was ultimately responsible for the education of billions.  So, she didn’t care for his condescending attitude.  Not one bit.  But she was sure enough of herself not to worry about Commander Adama and his lack of regard for her.  She was a little preoccupied, anyway.

No, she’d go through the rest of the Ceremony, return to Caprica, fight cancer, fight Richard for her job, and win against both adversaries.  Because Laura Roslin was a fighter, and she never gave up.  She didn’t always win, but she won more than she lost, and she’d continue that trend.  

At the moment, she needed to focus on her speech.  It was a pretty generic speech about service, honor, leadership, and the pillars of colonization.  Definitely not one of her best, but it was the best she could do on short notice.  In her experience, nobody listens to those things anyway.  It wasn’t like she was out to impress anybody.

Laura couldn’t wait to hear Commander Adama’s speech, though.  She was genuinely curious about what he’d come up with.  And she was fully prepared to run interference with the press, if he said something controversial.  Something told her, he would.  But she’d be ready.  Laura Roslin was always ready.  

  



	4. Second Impressions

_She’s coming this way; be nice._

 

“Only if she’s nice to me.”

 

_What are you, twelve?  This is our mate we’re talking about; be nice._

 

“Madame Secretary, what can I do for you?”

 

“I just wanted to say that was a good speech, Commander.”

 

“I noticed you were the first to clap.  Thanks for that.”

 

“It was quite inspirational.”

 

“I’m glad.”

 

“What are you planning to do once you fully retire?”

 

_Taking my time examining every inch of you.  Wiping all traces of Adar away with my own scent.  Gods, Bill, I don’t know if I can wait till we get to Caprica._

 

Shut up; You’re distracting me from my mate, Bill thought.  “I was thinking I’d find a nice secluded area and build a cabin.”

 

“That sounds lovely.  A place to get away from it all.”

 

“Yes.  That’s what I’m hoping for, anyway.”

 

“Well, good luck with that, Commander.  I better board my transport home.  If you’re ever in Caprica...”

 

“I’ll look you up, Madame Secretary.”

 

“Well, goodnight then.”

 

“Goodnight.” _My mate_ , his innerwolf added.

 

_See, Bill?  You were nice and she basically asked you out.  It doesn’t have to be that hard._

 

“She is quite lovely.  Did you notice the way her eyes light up sometimes?”

 

_I was busy looking at her legs._

 

“Those are fine too.”

 

_She’s fine all over, Bill.  Only the best for us._

 

\-------------------------------

 

On the way to Laura’s transport, she was reminding herself she was fighting for her life and job.  She didn’t have time to add Commander Bill Adama to her life, and why would she want to?  He was rude to her and disrespectful of her position.  But then, he had made that speech.  He seemed like someone with a lot of depth, someone worth knowing.  She chastised herself for thinking about him, boarded her transport, and went into the washroom awhile later.  Her mortality was giving her a mild panic attack.


	5. Tentative Plans

Title: Tentative Plans  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: I don't own them; they own me.  
A/N:  Part V of Alpha!Bill follows these [installments](http://mujaji.net/adamaroslin/viewstory.php?sid=2906&warning=4).

 

  
  


There was only one way out of this mess.  Bill would have to go to Ragnar for guns to fight the cylons who had killed his son and his mate--before he could ever really know her--in addition to the billions of other people.  In revenge for robbing him of his family, Bill would kill every last cylon until he died in a blaze of gunfire and glory.  

It was fortunate that fate had other plans for Bill and humanity.  President Laura Roslin and Captain Lee Adama were alive.  The cylons hadn’t killed them, and his son and mate had managed to rescue 50,000 people and form a fleet.  

After fighting for his life against the skinjob, Leoben, Bill was embroiled in a different kind of fight.  With a table between them, Bill was face-to-face with his mate, who was every bit as fierce and strong-willed as she was when they first met.  

“You’re gonna leave us?”

“I have a war to fight.”

“I don’t know why I have to keep telling you this.  The war is over, we lost.”

“It hasn’t even begun yet.”

“That’s insane.”

“What would you have us do?”

“Run.”

“And go where?”

“I don’t know.  Keep running until the cylons can’t find us anymore.”

Bill had stopped listening to his President.  He and his inner-wolf were distracted by Laura’s beauty and spirit.

_She’s so perfect._

Not now, but yes, she is.

_And ours._

“The only way we can survive as a species is if we get out of here and start having babies.”

_She’d be a great mother for our pups, Bill._

What are you talking about? She’s too old to be a mother.

_Metaphorically, I mean.  We have 50,000 children, and Laura is their mother.  Can you imagine how great it would be to raise a child with her, though?_

Bill could imagine.  But the distracting images were detracting from his Commander persona.  

“Excuse me.”

Bill bolted from the room so fast, Laura thought she had pushed him too far.  So, she was presently surprised to find he had decided to follow her wishes.

“You were right, I was wrong. Can we just leave it at that?”

That surprised Laura too.  She didn’t think he’d ever willingly admit to being wrong, especially not to her.

“Sure.”

Bill could barely concentrate during their conversation about his lie.  He gave the people something to live for; in the meantime, he’d be living for Laura.

She left his quarters after their tentative handshake.  Bill reveled in the scent she had left behind.  

_We need her, Bill._

“I know, I’m working on a plan.”

  
  



	6. Scruffy!Bill

Title: Scruffy!Bill  
Rating: K  
Disclaimer: don't own them; they own me.

  
  


Bill Adama was not having a good week.  Well no one in the fleet was, but Commander Adama, in particular was having a bad week.  While being a werewolf was good for some things—super strength and speed, good instincts, immortality—it certainly had its drawbacks.  He required regular meals, plenty of sleep, and enough time to maintain his personal hygiene.  Yes, so do humans.  But humans typically don’t have to worry about excessive facial hair growing after only a few hours, or a grumpy inner wolf who could make bad decisions for them if he gets too hungry or tired.  Add to that the fact that he could spend hardly any time with his mate because the frakking cylons kept appearing every 33 minutes.  Bill Adama was obviously having a bad week.

Not only could Bill not see Laura, but he had to keep protecting her—and the rest of the fleet.  Having a mate was supposed to mean he could live more than a half-life like he had been all those years.  So far, it seemed to be a lot of work, and he and his inner-wolf were losing patience.  He needed to claim her.  He needed her to have his scent, and he wanted to have hers.  But none of that could happen until he ensured all of their safety.  Gods knew his President wouldn’t take a moment for herself until she was certain everyone else’s needs were met.  As proud of his mate as he was, he wished she’d look after herself.  As her mate, it was automatically his duty—and his joy—to love, care for, and protect Laura, but a little help on her part would’ve been nice.

After five days of jumping every 33 minutes, Bill was exhausted, as was the rest of the fleet.  When Dee told him Colonial One was having trouble with its FTL drive, he could barely control the sense of panic.  If anything happened to her there would be nothing left for him.  He could only breath a little easier when Dee informed the command staff that all of the civilian ships were ready to jump, including Colonial One.  That meant he had another 33 minutes before he had to worry all over again.

When there was finally a lull, he could speak to his love.  He wished it didn’t have to be about official business.  He just wanted to know how she was holding up.  Empathically, he knew she was okay (Their empathic bond was already strong enough for him to sense her basic feelings).  He knew something was bothering her, had been bothering her since before the attacks even, but they weren’t in a place where he could ask her about it, yet.  He’d have to wait till she could trust him.

 When he called Laura, it pained him to hear how tired she was.  His heart swelled when she asked if he was there.  It was a beginning for them, at least.  She needed him; she might not say it directly, but she did.  And he’d always be there for her.  He couldn’t keep himself from asserting his power by reminding her staying in condition two was a military decision—his decision.  He was surprised by how quickly she accepted that.  She trusted him—was willing to accept his council and authority in military matters. Trust and cooperation were always good things for leaders—and mates.

He was proud of her for making a decision about the Olympic Carrier.  He knew it wasn’t easy for her to do that—to kill her own people—but it had to be done, and he was proud of her for having the guts to do it.  He hated to have to bully her, though.  He wanted to rationalize the decision for her to minimize her guilt—and his own.  All he could do was hope their days would get easier.  And that they could finally have time for themselves.

He hoped he’d be able to claim her during the next cycle.  They’d need a lot of work for that to happen, but she was more than worth it.

  
  



	7. An Explanation of the Claiming Ritual

Title: An Explanation of the Claiming Ritual  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: don't own them.

  
  


Bill had some anxiety surrounding the claiming ritual.  And understandably so.  The circumstances of his and Laura’s lives were no where near ideal.  Even under ordinary circumstances, having a human mate is complicated.  When both mates are wolves, it’s much easier.  They’d have been taught from early adulthood all about mates, the claiming process, and what it means to have a mate.

The ritual revolved around the monthly moon cycle.  During the days of the cycle, the inner wolf takes control, causing each mate to change into wolf form.  A chase is involved.  And the wolves spend the cycle in their wolf forms until the last night of the cycle, when they complete the ritual.

The couple would consummate their everlasting union.  Each partner would indelibly mark the other through a bite, which leaves the first initial of his/her name on the nape of the neck.  From that moment on, the mates are bound by blood and love.  Their lives are linked.  And the males in particular are steadfast in their loyalty and devotion to their women; although, the women reciprocate the males’ affection, loyalty, and devotion.  Ideally, the couple gets to spend an eternity together:  raising puppies and grandpuppies, loving, and living.  

But outside forces threaten to destroy their idyllic existence.  Hunters have existed nearly as long as wolves, and with enough silver, they can kill their enemies.  A male’s biggest fear is that his mate will be taken or killed by hunters:  There have been many males who’ve wasted away into nothingness after losing their mates—there just wasn’t a reason to carry on anymore.  His second biggest fear is that he’ll get killed by hunters, leaving his mate defenseless and alone.  

Those things didn’t matter much anymore.  Bill Adama was the last of his kind.  He wasn’t worried about hunters—not that kind, anyway.  Nobody knew what he was except for Lee and Saul.  Saul always helped him keep his secret.  Lee always knew what he was and despised him for it.  Bill couldn’t be sure if it was because of what he was or what his son wasn’t.  Because he wasn’t truly mated to Carolanne, he didn’t pass his wolf genes to either of his sons.  Zak had always thought it was cool to have a werewolf for a father.  He loved to play with his dad when he was in his wolf form, growing up, but Lee never wanted to play their games.  He wanted a normal father not a werewolf or a viper jock, so there was always a gulf between them.  But his secret was safe:  Saul would keep it out of loyalty to his best friend, and Lee would keep it out of shame, which was a thought more hurtful than comforting.  

One other person would have to learn the truth—Laura.  He had no idea how he’d go about telling her.  Saying he wanted to claim her for his own forever and always, probably wouldn’t go over very well with the President of the Twelve Colonies.  And she’d probably ask him if he was insane if he told her he was a wolf.  Show and tell might be the best method but would be problematic once he transforms:  Bill would no longer be in control, and his inner-wolf has made his interest in Laura very clear.  She could get hurt if she’s not properly prepared.

Bill’s grandmother always told him he’d find the best mate ever, but that she’d be different.  That he’d have to be patient with her and loving—even if she didn’t seem to love him back.  She took great care in explaining the claiming between mates when he was old enough to understand.  After all these years, it seemed his grandmother was right.  Laura was different from Bill—in nearly every way possible.  And she was the best:  It hadn’t taken his inner-wolf long to convince him of that.  So he was eternally grateful to his late grandmother for passing such crucial information to him.  He would need all the help he could get.

  
  



	8. Laura Roslin's First Week on the Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura has thinky thoughts during her first week of her Presidency.  She's becoming cognizant of her empathic bond with Bill.

Title: Laura Roslin's First Week on the Job  
Rating: K+  
Word Count: ~1100  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Summary: Laura has thinky thoughts during her first week of her Presidency.  She's becoming cognizant of her empathic bond with Bill.

 

  
  


Laura Roslin’s first week as President of the Twelve Colonies wasn’t going too well.  To say she wasn’t getting enough sleep was an understatement.  She was lucky if she could get more than a few moments within 33 minute intervals.  Even when she had the opportunity to sleep, she couldn’t really take it.  There were people counting on her to lead them and protect them (though their protection was Adama’s job, she felt responsible for it as well).  On the other hand, how effective could she (could anyone) be without sleep?  The cylons certainly knew what they were doing.  And she hated them for it.  She hated not being prepared, not knowing what to do next, and she knew that was something she had in common with Commander Adama.

Laura always tried to be prepared for everything, and it had cost her.  She had eschewed most semblance of a personal life, especially in recent years, to excel in her career.  She wasn’t sure why she bothered; Laura had never really liked politics, but there were moments when she felt she was doing good works, making a difference in the lives of children, educators, and parents.  Those moments didn’t occur often, but when they did, they usually made up for all the other moments.  So she stayed.  Richard would’ve liked to have said she stayed for him—she had even told Captain Apollo as much—but that wasn’t really true.  

Her thing (she didn’t know what to call it: relationship, affair, friends who frakked—none of those terms really worked for what they had) with Richard wasn’t what made her stay in politics.  In fact, it was what made her want to get out the most.  If someone were to ask Richard what he thought made Laura attracted to him, he would have said it was his power, that she got off on frakking the most powerful man alive.  He would have been wrong.  Laura never cared for power.  When she became a kindergarten teacher, she did it because she loved children and wanted to help shape their lives.  And when she first joined Adar’s campaign, she took those same goals and applied them on a larger scale.  She thought she could make the worlds a better place through Adar.  So, in that sense maybe she was attracted to his power—just not in the way he thought.  But then they started their whatever-it-was, and everything got frakked up: Feelings became involved; wires were crossed.  

From the beginning, Richard was more into it than Laura.  She never loved him, never thought she loved him; she liked him, respected him, valued him for the man he used to be.  Then he changed.  He became more interested in preserving his power by winning the next election than in using his power responsibly or doing what was in the best interest of the people who’d elected him in the first place.  But none of that mattered anymore.  She was the one with the power, and she’d never live long enough to become a villain: Her cancer ensured that much; she’d die a hero for her people.

But she did learn invaluable lessons from her predecessor.  She learned diplomacy was the best strategy.  Of course, she had never seen that more than the day she left for the decommissioning ceremony.  Laura settled the teachers’ strike.  She did it by listening to the perfectly valid concerns of the union president.  She won his trust and respect, and at the end of the day, she’d gotten what she wanted, which was in the best interest of everyone involved—sans Richard, apparently.  He’d forgotten his previous stances; she would have worried about his becoming too militaristic a leader, but she didn’t need to worry about that anymore.  And she’d never have to worry about that for herself; Commander Adama had all the guns, and he’d certainly question her decisions as he saw fit.  They’d form a good balance of power if they could learn to work together.

Commander Adama.  She wanted to be able to trust him.  Only time would tell if she could.  He certainly liked to reassert his control over all things military.  She didn’t understand why that was.  Did he think she was going to relieve him of his command? Or take it over herself?  There was no-one better suited for the job, and she knew it.  His position was in no danger; there was no reason for him to feel threatened.  Adama’s posturing was a waste of energy, and it didn’t impress Laura at all.  But there were moments when she felt strangely connected to him.  Like he was always with her in spirit.  Sometimes, she even thought she heard him talking to her, comforting her during her worst moments—the moments when she questioned herself and was filled with despair.  She couldn’t explain it, but she definitely preferred the spiritual entity of Bill Adama to the physical one of Commander Adama—even if he was simply the manifestation of an exhausted mind.  The voice in her head was a quiet one, devoted entirely to her well being, like she was the only being that mattered in its universe.  She wasn’t sure how she felt about that:  Laura had never been selfish, and she’d always put the needs of others ahead of her own.  But perhaps it would benefit the fleet for its President to have someone protecting and comforting her, and that’s what the voice was doing, so she’d accept it as the gift it seemed to be.

When Commander Adama called her during the first lull in days, his voice had the pleasant tone that she’d been hearing in her head, especially when she asked him if he was there and he confirmed it.  In that moment she felt very comfortable with his command.  Laura was glad that their opinions on the Olympic Carrier were matched.  That meant they could potentially share the responsibility of their decisions.  It was a good start for their forced partnership. However, ultimately she was the one who made the decision to blow up the ship, and it weighed heavily on her conscience.  But that night when both leaders could finally get their much needed rest, Laura heard the voice again, telling her she’d done what was right for the fleet and very likely saved everyone.  It wasn’t quite enough to conquer her guilt, but it certainly helped her sleep better.  She fell asleep with Bill’s name on her lips, and in his rack in his quarters on Galactica, Commander Adama heard his mate whisper his name and fell asleep with a smile.

  
  



	9. The Fallible Instinct: An Alpha!Bill Installment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill goes against his own nature to attempt to please Laura.  It turns out they're better matched than even his inner-wolf had thought.

Word Count: 644  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Summary: Bill goes against his own nature to attempt to please Laura.  It turns out they're better matched than even his inner-wolf had thought.

  
  


They had finally settled into a steady pattern.  The fleet was still on the run—and would remain so for the conceivable future, but they had time to prepare, train, and plan.  People had begun to accept life within the fleet as their new normalcy.  Life would never be what it was before, but they had a President who was committed to leading them to safety and battlestar filled with servicemen and women committed to protecting them.  

Because things were as good as they were likely to get for quite awhile, it was time for the military and the government to form a united front, for Commander William Adama to formally welcome President Laura Roslin to Galactica. 

Of course, that wasn’t why Bill was really initiating that ceremony.  His inner-wolf convinced him that a nice gesture on his part would ease his future professional and personal dealings with Laura.  Bill was inclined to agree.  So, there he was, a man who had always hated pomp and circumstance, going out of his way to show his mate his respect for her position.  

It wasn’t going as well as he’d hoped.  She wasn’t outwardly uncomfortable, but Bill could tell she was acting in her hopes to humor him.   Laura didn’t seem any more interested in pomp and circumstance than he was, which of course made her even more endearing to her mate. Bill swore he’d never put her through that again.  

It was during that ceremonial visit in CIC that Bill Adama realized he’d made at least two mistakes.  For one, he’d neglected to reveal Laura’s position as his mate to Saul.  His best friend knew that he’d been searching for his mate his entire adult life.  The fact that Laura was it would afford her more respect in Saul’s eyes than her Presidency ever would.  But in all the turmoil since the attacks, Bill had neglected to tell his friend.  Of course, part of the reason he was remiss in that duty was concern for Laura’s honor.  He could never be sure what his friend would do or say, especially when he had the cup in his hand.  Bill knew his best friend only wanted the best for him, but he was human and didn’t understand what it meant to have a mate.  Hell, his own bride was notoriously unfaithful to him.  Bill was sad that Saul would never know what it was to be completely connected with another, the way he was already connected to Laura.  But Saul made cracks about her teaching profession, and though his inner-wolf demanded he pay for the insult to their mate, Bill couldn’t really do anything about it, not when he had made similar cracks himself.  

_You’re being a bad mate.  Laura would never let it stand if someone talked about you like that._

“I know.”

_And she’s so uncomfortable.  Look at her.  Seeking consolation from Lee._

“You’re the one who thought this would be a good idea.”

_I was wrong, okay?_

“The instinct is never wrong.”

_The instinct never dealt with Laura Roslin.  She doesn’t operate by our rules, Bill._

“I love that about her.”

_Me too._

It was around that time that Bill realized he’d made a second mistake.  Laura thought Bill was mocking her, that he thought she was an idiot.  With his superior hearing, he’d heard her say it to Lee.  And when Lee started to deny it, she said it was alright, like she expected him to think of her with such disrespect.  

_That’s probably what she got from that prick._

“Well, she won’t get that from us.”

_Never._

Bill had never loved his son more than he did the moment Lee explained Bill’s revulsion to pomp and circumstance.  And the way her eyes lit up when she realized she was wrong, warmed his heart.  

_She’s learning._

“Good.”

_It is good._

  
  



	10. A Gift For Laura: An Alpha!Bill Installment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A clusterfrak messes with Bill's plans for his mate's first official visit to Galactica, but he makes it work for him anyway.

Rating: K+  
Word Count: ~500  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Summary: A clusterfrak messes with Bill's plans for his mate's first official visit to Galactica, but he makes it work for him anyway.

  
  


They had been sabotaged, likely by a cylon or a cylon sympathizer.  Most of the fleet’s water supply had been blown out into space.  It was a serious problem.  Commander Adama was upset on many levels.  

For one thing, everything that happens aboard the Galactica is, ultimately, his responsibility.  So, a clusterfrak of such huge proportions made him look bad.  Then, there’s the fact that the frakup cost the majority of the fleet its water supply.  That’s a BHD (Big Hairy Deal)!  And it happened while Laura was onboard.  It made Bill look bad in front of his mate and his boss.  Finally, they still had no idea who the cylons were or how many were scattered throughout the fleet.  

Throughout the emergency meeting, Bill worked to show the woman who was his mate and his President that he was a good mate who could maintain command of the fleet.  He wanted to show her how much his men respected him.  And above all, he wanted to show that he could work well under pressure and come up with a plan.  Bill was proud of himself when he appointed Baltar and Gaeta to create a cylon detector.  Of course, that was partly done just to get the annoying little scientist to shut up.  Then, he ordered the raptors to search the surrounding star systems for water sources.  It was the best he could do, and he hoped it would be enough, for all their sakes. 

It was not at all how he wanted the day to go.  He wanted to spend the day with Laura, show her around Galactica.  Let her see what he did all day; get to know her better.  But, perhaps a crisis was as good a time as any to get to know his mate.   Bill managed to bring Laura into his quarters after all.  And he was thrilled that she had an affinity for books like he did.  There was finally something he could give her.  

Bill was proud that Laura wasn’t afraid to ask for what she wanted.  When she said she wanted to borrow a book, he already had one in mind for her, but he asked what she liked anyway.  She said she like mysteries like it was a confession to a great secret.  Bill wondered how many people had known that about her.  He was sure he was the only person who knew it after the attacks.  That she would begin to share those things with him gave him hope for their future.  So, he handed her _Dark Day_ , letting her know it wasn’t to be borrowed but that it was a gift.  

_We’ll give everything to our mate._

“She’s not ready to know that, though.”

_You’re right.  Cover for us._

Bill simply said he never lends books.  Laura seemed to sense there was more to the gesture than that, but she accepted the book with gratitude.  Bill got the sense that Laura hadn’t received many gifts in her life.  He was battling between his urge to shower her with gifts and affection and his understanding that she wasn’t ready to accept his affection or his gifts.  The last thing he wanted was for Laura to feel uncomfortable.  He would take his time with her, slowly winning her trust, and giving her whatever she needed.  His inner-wolf would just have to wait.  Bill knew what was best for his mate.

  
  



	11.  The Three Times Laura thought the Worlds were Ending and the One Time They Did:  An Alpha!Bill Installment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  Laura muses over her history, examining why she is so calm.  She thinks about Commander Adama and has a meeting with Lee.

Title:  The Three Times Laura thought the Worlds were Ending and the One Time They Did:  An Alpha!Bill Installment  
Rating: T  
Words: ~1200  
Disclaimer: Don't own them.  
Summary:  Laura muses over her history, examining why she is so calm.  She thinks about Commander Adama and has a meeting with Lee.  
A/N: Follows these installments:  "[First Impressions](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/10227.html)"  "[A Brief History of Bill Adama](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/10861.html)"  "[Laura's Fuming Musings](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/13330.html)" "[Second Impressions](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/13330.html)" "[Tentative Plans](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/20901.html)" "[Scruffy!Bill](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/34299.html)" "[An Explanation of the Claiming Ritual](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/37532.html)" "[Laura Roslin's First Week on the Job](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/42561.html)" "[The Fallible Instinct](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/45651.html)" "[A Gift for Laura](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/49740.html)" "[The Three Times Laura thought the Worlds were Ending and the One Time They Did](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/73573.html)"  


  
  


Laura returned to Colonial One after spending many hours on Galactica.  The meetings and discussions were so grueling—and so necessary:  Without food and water, no one could survive; a Cylon attack would be merciful if things got bad enough.  She couldn’t explain why she felt so calm, though.  Of course, she had always been calm.  

On four separate occasions, she thought she’d received the worst news possible, but she always worked through it.  When her mother told her she was sick, Laura thought her world was caving in around her.  Judith Roslin was always larger than life, and she had rarely gotten sick; the woman didn’t even get colds for gods sakes.  But it was true.  Her mother had cancer.  She fought it for two long years, and then it was over.  Laura was by her side most of the time.  Her younger sisters were too young to really understand what was happening, and they were in school.  Her father had to split his time between caring for the youngest Roslin girls, working, and caring for his wife.  Laura was in a time of her life when she could spend nearly 24/7 with her mother.  She had already finished college.  She hadn’t gotten a job yet, so she decided to hold off until her mother didn’t need her anymore.  

Of course, that time off had led to an awkward question during job interviews.  Her answer usually created an awkward silence that quickly turned sympathetic. Things ended up working out for the best, though.  It was her relentless commitment to her mother that had gotten her her first job.  She was competing against a young woman fresh out of college; their GPAs, test scores, recommendations, and qualifications were all the same.  But Laura showed loyalty and dedication when she opted to care for her mother.  The woman who hired her sensed she’d have that same level of dedication to her job, the school, and the children she taught.  It was a great fit for Laura, and she was hesitant to leave, but her boss knew she was destined for better things.  She encouraged her to continue with her education.  By the time she was finished with grad school, she had more education and qualifications than anyone else in the school.  It was time for her to move on.  

When her sisters and father were killed, it had been years since she had actually set foot in the classroom.  She had been an administrator, and she was very good at it, but she always missed the children.  The morning she found out about the crash, she thought the worlds had ended for sure.  It seemed so impossible.  Like something that could happen to any other family but never hers.  But, she went to work every day, and she kept functioning.  She entered politics and learned the ropes from Adar himself.  After awhile, it started to hurt less.  The pain lessened all the time, but it never went away completely.  But she learned how to distance herself from it—from all emotions actually.  Richard had cared more about her than she had about him.  He may have been unable to take no for an answer, and she may have been unable to tell him no, but they both knew that she’d never love him the way he loved her.  He always knew she’d be the one to end their affair; though, it would take her many attempts.

When the doctor handed her what was essentially a death sentence, Laura knew felt her own body was caving in, while the rest of the universe was fine.  She’d be expected to do her job just as she always had, and she wasn’t sure if she could, but she’d try.  Failure never had been an option for Laura, and she wasn’t about to start then.  

It was the irony of all ironies that Laura would outlive most of humanity that day.  The worlds had finally ended, and all of her personal apocalypses had prepared her for it.  She could be their President until she died.  It seemed a fitting end for her life.  She remained calm throughout the transition.  And she remained calm—even when the fleet’s water supply was blasted into space because of an explosion on Galactica, she was calm.  

Part of her sense of calm was probably due to the soothing voice in her head that sounded a lot like Commander Adama.  Only, the voice was a lot kinder to her and softer.  She was still intimidated by the flesh and blood Commander Adama.  He was definitely an alpha male, and she tended to prefer the scholarly types.  Not that she had spent much time dating, but her experiences had been with graduate students and professionals in her field—people she could talk to about work and little else.  She had no idea how to relate to Commander Adama, but she had to learn.  She was pleasantly surprised when he was kind enough to give her a book.  In a post-apocalyptic world where all the books are lost, a gesture like that one meant a lot.  She’d treasure his book until the end of her days, and then she’d make sure Billy returned it to its owner.  

In the meantime, she was set to meet with the younger Adama.  Lee was so much easier to get along with than his father.  He was such an idealist; he reminded her of herself when she was his age.  She hoped he’d be able to preserve his ideals in the time to come, and she was worried about how he was handling the Olympic Carrier incident.  She knew she wasn’t handling it so well herself.  

He looked like a puppy so eager to please and learn.  She knew he would do anything she said.  She’d need that loyalty and devotion in the future; she was sure of it.  

“I wanted to know how you were after the Olympic Carrier.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it.”

“Me neither.”

“We’re supposed to accept the consequences of our actions and move on.”

Laura immediately knew those words had come from Commander Adama’s mouth first.  She doubted Lee believed them.  She doubted the Commander believed them.  

“It’s okay to feel guilt, Captain Apollo.  You can’t publicly admit to it, but privately…”

“Is that what you do?”

“Yes.  I learned something from Adar.  When he did something he didn’t personally agree with, he would write it on a strip of paper and put it in his desk drawer.  I don’t have a drawer right now, but I have a pocket.”  Laura reached into her pocket and pulled out the strip of paper with “Olympic Carrier” written on it. She showed it to Lee and returned it.  

Then she offered him a position as her military advisor.  She suspected that would put a wedge between him and his father, and herself and his father, but it was in her best interest as President.  And what was best for the President, was what was best for the fleet.  Commander Adama would understand that in time.  She suspected he wanted to limit their interactions as much as possible.  Although she wouldn’t mind seeing more of him.  There were moments when he seemed like someone she would want to know.  But she didn’t have time to make friends and form associations, save what was necessary for fleet business.  It was better that way in the long run.

  



	12. The Two Advisors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee tells his father about his new position...

Bill sat in his quarters.  It had been a long week.  His adrenaline was just beginning to lower to a normal level—what was normal for him anyway.

There was a knock on the hatch.

“Come in.”

Even with his enhanced sense of smell, he didn’t expect his son to walk through the hatch. “Good evening, Captain.”

“Do you have a minute, dad?”

It had been a long time since Lee had called him ‘dad’ instead of ‘Commander’ or ‘sir.’  Bill should have sensed his son had something really big to tell him, but he was too happy and hopeful.  “Of course, son.  What’s on your mind?”

“The President has asked me to be her military advisor.”

Bill couldn’t keep the growl from forming.  “I’m _her_ military advisor.”

“That’s what I told her.  She said she didn’t mean an advisor for military decisions.  She wants an advisor to the military.  How to understand our culture, ranks.  That sort of thing.”

Their exchange over the book had meant nothing, after all.  _What are you going to do, Bill?  You can’t let your son steal your mate._ Bill told his innerwolf to stand down.  He nodded at his son.  “You’ve accepted the position, I suppose.”

Lee nodded.  “She’s not someone you can really say no to.”

Bill knew exactly what his son meant.  “Then do your best to help her.  Give her whatever she needs.  But remember I need you to keep up with your CAG duties.  Can you handle both responsibilities?”

“I can.”

Bill nodded.  “I’m very tired, Lee.  Did you have anything else you needed?”

“No sir.  Goodnight.”

Lee walked out the hatch, leaving Bill to stew in his thoughts.  He let out a howl of frustration and pushed his table over on its side.  Laura didn’t want or trust him.  She wanted Lee.  It didn’t make any sense.  She was his mate; he’d sensed it immediately—even when he didn’t want to sense it.  Why would she want Lee instead?  The boy was just a pup.  She needed someone older.  Her equal.  A leader.  She needed her mate.  None of them could be happy until she realized that.

He’d just have to up the ante.  


End file.
